In this week’s episode of The Mandalorian, Din and Grogu head over to the planet of Typhon to find Grogu’s true purpose. However, complications arise as some unexpected visitors arrive. Now I must say, the episodes are definitely getting better as the season goes on! This episode was coated with action, excitement and reunions.
Starting off with the music, as this was something that definitely stood out for me. Generally, I find that composer Ludwig Goransson works around the scenes with his pieces, generally adding a subtle western tone that serves well to mark Mando as a lone ranger. However, in this episode, the music definitely stood out on its own, reflecting on the stand-out John William’s Star Wars score we all love. However, Goransson is sure to add his own personal touch to the pieces. I found that the score reminded me more of the Alien franchise, yet worked perfectly within the scenes. I definitely think it is important for the series to have distinctive pieces. For example, composer Ramin Djawadi has such a distinctive style that is recognizable and notable in both Game of Thrones and Westworld. Therefore, with Goransson finally adding his own style it really helps in shaping the episode and series as a whole for the better!
The Mandalorian (2019). Image via YouTube.
Onto the reunions! Now first and foremost we are reunited with the thought-to-be-dead Fennec Shand from season one. Turns out she was saved and has teamed up with… Boba Fett! As if last week wasn’t enough with bringing in Ahsoka Tano, creator Jon Favreau has officially brought Boba Fett back into the franchise. In the first episode of this season, it was hinted that Boba Fett was still alive, though it wasn’t entirely certain if he was going to be brought back officially. Nonetheless, turns out Boba Fett has been following Mando around due to Mando taking his armour. I loved how this brought a little conflict as Mando was in between wanting to honour the Mandalore and wanting to protect Baby Yoda. Nonetheless, I thought it was very creative how Favreau transitioned this conflict. Boba Fett was no longer the issue, but thanks to the previously planted tracking device, the surprise attack from the Imperials was a concern to both Mando and Boba Fett, causing them to team up. This was definitely interesting as both Mandalorians united. To make matters even more exciting for our Star Wars fans, director Robert Rodriguez had Boba Fett come out in his rusty Mandalorian outfit, definitely giving us all some nostalgia from his previous appearances in the Star Wars franchise. As if these two reunions weren’t enough, Favreau ends the episode by revealing that Migs Mayfield will be back and will most likely be key in helping Mando get Baby Yoda back!
Despite the exciting areas within this episode, there were definitely some tragic moments for Din. First off, Mando’s ship was burnt to ashes thanks to the Imperials. This was extremely sad to see as this ship has taken him all over the place since episode one of this show! To further put a damper on the mood, Grogu is captured by Dark Troopers. This was such a sad scene, as Mando does everything he can to save him, yet fails drastically. There’s a bit of irony in this, as he succeeds in almost every mission he is assigned, but in his own mission to keep Grogu safe, he fails dramatically- no thanks to Boba Fett and Fennec causing an initial distraction. Nonetheless, this sad moment has definitely made the narrative interesting. To make things worse Rodriguez made sure to include a scene of Mando walking around the shipwreck and finding the ball that Baby Yoda plays with, which was definitely emotional to watch!
The Mandalorian (2019). Image via YouTube.
I must say that although this episode was action loaded and quite emotional at times, the stormtroopers served well in adding some comic relief. By now, I think we can all agree that Stormtroopers are a bit pathetic and both Rodriguez and Favreau did extremely well to highlight this element. For example, there were scenes of the stormtroopers having a terrible aim, falling over and killing each other, which was definitely humorous at times.
Moving on, one of the most aesthetically pleasing aspects of this episode had to be the scenes including Moff Gideon! Rodriguez presented a lot of parallels between Darth Vader and Gideon within the scenes. Specifically through the famous scenes of Vader walking through the Imperial ships with stormtroopers on either side of him. These scenes were also accompanied by red and black colors adding to the Dark Side’s notable color palette that is used for both Darth Vader and Kylo Ren. Furthermore, in these scenes, we see just how powerful Grogu is when succeeds in using the force to attack the Imperials! Unfortunately, his weakness is his lack of strength which results in him getting tired too quickly. I’m interested to see if Favreau will demonstrate his strength improving which could be quite a turning point in the series!
Giancarlo Esposito in The Mandalorian (2019). Image via YouTube.
Overall, this episode was by far one of the best of the season! I must say, I was a little concerned about the start of the episode with the arrival of Boba Fett. I thought it was going to be a very cringe-worthy reunion. Nonetheless, the episode was coated with fast-paced action, an amazing score and nostalgia! Favreau is officially moving away from the endless detours and bringing us into some exciting action. When starting the episode, I was a bit unsure as it is only 30 minutes long. Despite that, the action and narrative worked perfectly within the time frame making it one of the most exciting episodes yet! We can definitely expect some action-packed episodes in the next few weeks for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Moff Gideon has Grogu! Secondly, Mando is teaming up with Boba Fett, Fennec and Migs Mayfield! The big question now is will Mando get Grogu back safely?
Featured Image via YouTube.
